Moore quits over Barangaroo 'railroading'

By Matthew Moore

September 22, 2010 — 3.00am

The lord mayor, Clover Moore, has quit the board in charge of Sydney's biggest development, claiming the public is being ''railroaded'' on the Barangaroo project.

In a letter to the Premier, Cr Moore said she was resigning because Kristina Keneally had failed to address her concerns about the removal of financial information from the Barangaroo contract, ''inadequate and ineffective community consultation'' and the ''external control'' that was forcing the project to proceed before it was considered properly.

An extract from Clover Moore's letter of resignation.

Cr Moore's decision comes after six months of pressure from fellow councillors to resign the post she has held since March last year and oppose the controversial project, which includes huge office towers and a hotel on a pier in the harbour. Until now she has insisted that working ''inside the tent'' is the best way to improve the scheme, but in recent weeks has decided she can no longer tolerate the way it is proceeding.

In a letter to the Premier dated August 31, Cr Moore said the ''slow release of contractual information and secrecy about project finances is contrary to the public's right to know and contrary to assurances given by your government''.

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When the Barangaroo Delivery Authority finally published its contract with Lend Lease last month, it deleted most of the financial information, making it impossible for the public to understand what it was getting in return for development rights on the $6 billion project.

''The authority withheld financial information essential for the public's understanding and acceptance of this project without this decision [being] formally voted on or endorsed by the board,'' Cr Moore wrote.

''It seems the project is being railroaded through without due consideration for public interest and proper process.''

While some information in the contract was of a genuine commercially sensitive nature, much was not and could be released.

''The public has a right to know the returns on leases, what elements are covered, who is paying for them and what the amounts are,'' she said, and called on Ms Keneally to ''immediately release all Barangaroo financial information relevant to the public interest''.

While the authority has held meetings and briefed numerous groups, Cr Moore said there was ''no opportunity for informed questioning of impacts of the scheme, especially by potentially affected CBD residents and businesses''.

In her reply four days ago, Ms Keneally said she was ''satisfied the authority is demonstrating a strong commitment to public information, transparency and consultation'' and it was entitled to remove commercial in-confidence information from the contract.

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But Cr Moore said: ''I believed I had a responsibility to be an integral part of the process to work for the best outcome on this very significant city and harbourside site. I acted on principle in joining, I have acted on principle in leaving.''

Her decision is likely to harden the battle lines between the government and the City of Sydney and may help mend the split in which two independents aligned with Cr Moore, John McInerney and Marcelle Hoff, campaigned against the development.